Celery harvesting apparatus



Novfu 12, 1946.

T.-J. BELL CELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1944 WNA Nov. 12, 1946. T. J. BELL CELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 11944 Nov. 12, 1946. 1.1. BELL 2,410,861

CELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS f Filed April 8, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 12, v1946. T. J. BELL 2,410,861

CELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS l Filed April 8, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 4v Nov. 12, 1946. T. J. BELL CELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 GELERY HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed 'April 8, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Infor/mio@ Nov. 12, 1946.

T. J. BELL CELERY HARVEST-ING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Nov. 12, V1946 oFFicE f CELERY HRVESTING APIYARATUS Thomas .Il ell, near Sarasota, Fla. Y Application April'S, 1944, S'erialNo. 530,106 I claims.

This invention relates to a celeryharvesting apparatus and more especially to a suitable framework adapted to be secured to a tractor and to which is adapted to be secured a plurality of cutters to run between rthe rows of celery to (Cl.r 55-9) 1 l three middles, 30 inches apart,

cut the same, followed by a plurality of carriages having endless belts thereon and onto which the cut celery, after being stripped, can be placed whichv will convey the stalks of celery rearwardly where their buti-l portions will be aligned against a guide board andas they move rearwardly, the tops will be cut from the celery a predetermined distance `from ther base portions vof the celery, and then the celery stalks will' be moved further rearwardly where they willbe placed into eld boxes and deposited onthe ground to bepicked up yby trucks 'andtransport'ed to the packing houses where they will` be furtherV stripped and graded and packed in shipping crates for shipping to the market. i

Celery is laid out in denite rows; that is, the rows are usually formed by stretching a wire across the eld, and the rows are laid out in practically a straight line, a given number ofinches apart. These rows Vare spaced dilerently to accommodate spraying machinesy and the like.`v For example, one type of spraying machine covers twelve `rows of celery-and sprays twelve rows of celery at a time; therefore, it is necessary in order to prevent bruising of the celery plants, to have `the .rows in which the tractorfwheelsrun slightly'further apart` than *therows along which no object passes in a, spraying operation. Furthermore, the spray boom usually hasar` trusswork extending downwardly in spacedrela'tion to each side of the tractor.`for lending rigidity to the boom. These middles between the rows wherethis trusswork of the spray boom passes are also slightly wider than some of the other middles so as to prevent this trusswork from bruising the celery plants as the spraying apparatus is passed over the field. In one locality, the rows are spaced with middles as follows: between the outside rownextto the irrigationv ditch bank and the next succeeding row, 30inches, the

'next middle, 30 inches, the next middle, 30inches,

the Vfollowing middle, 32 inches foracc'ommodating the trusswork of the spray boom, the next middle, 38` inches to accommodate one oftheA tractor wheels, the next middle, 30y inches which is substantially underneath the'middleportion' of the tractor, the next rniddle38 inches tov accommodate the other wheelof the.tractor,the next middle, 32inches for accommodatingthe other Vtrusswork of the spray boom, lthel-.next

making in all elevenmiddles between the twelve rows of`celery whichare covered by one sweep of the spraying apparatus. Therefore, in providing a celery cutter for Acutting two rows of celery at a time, it is necessary to have the width of the frame adjustable as to overal1 width so as to take care of the different widths of middles of celery` andto properly cut the rows of celery regardless of vthe width therebetween. v

The various types ofcelery cutters hereinafter shown and described are adapted Yto be, drawn by attaching several Vof these cutters to a trans-i versely disposed boom or ydraw bar mounted on a tractor so as to have alternate middles provided with a cutter so that several rows of celery can be cut at one trip across theleld. Another drawbar is provided behind thetractor and t0. which a plurality of carriages or conveyers` having endless belts thereon are releasably attached for. conveying Athe celery rearwardly to where the tops` are cut,` and it is later packed' into' field boxes to Abe hauled awayv from the'eldlto the packing` house' where additional stripping, v grading, and-like operations are carried loutfand the celeryl -isfthen packed into shipping crates for shipment yto the market. Y i lIt is therefore an object of this inventionto provide 'a celery harvester comprisinga framework securedto a tractor and comprising a pair of transversely disposed draw bars, one of which is for pulling cuttingmechanisms between the rows of celery for cutting the same andthe other ofwhich is adapted to have secured thereto a plurality of trailing carriagesror conveyers having endless belts thereon for conveying the celery rearwardly after it is placedV thereon by being lifted from the ground. On saidcariages or conveyers, suitable cutting implements are provided for cutting off the tops of 'the celery. `The bunches move rearwardlyv on the carriagesV or conveyers and are packed into eld boxes for transport t0 the packing housesA for further 'operations. y i Y f Itis another object ofthe invention to provide a-celerycutter and harvesting mechanism for cutting afplu'rality ofrows of V celery-at the same time and then havingV a crew-depositthe cut stalks of celery onto suitable conveyers where the tops'arefcut from the celery and the stalks are packed? into suitable shipping boxes vcarried bythe carriages or conveyers as they are drawni over.the'eld..-, y y y Some; of the objects ofi the invention having been stated,.other objectswill-'appear asthedef 3 scription proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing, partly in schematic form, the cutters attached to a tractor and the carriages also trailing behind the tractor;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of one oi the celery cutters;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the cutter looking from the lower side of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an elevation taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a rear elevation taken along the line l-l' in Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of carriage A showing'the front portion thereof broken away;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of carriage A looking from the lower side of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a reverse view of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line I2-I2 in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a bottom plan View of a portion of the carriage frame.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a tractor having a longitudinallydisposed center portion Ia with a pair of change gear transmissions ib and Ic disposed between the engine of the tractor and the axle mechanism disposed in axle housing Id. These two change gear transmissions permit the tractor to move very slowly, say about 1,000 feet per hour, to thus give time to the crew to take care of the celery as fast as it is cut. The tractor has front wheels 2, pivotally mounted to the front axle 2a as at 2b which are directed by a suitable steering' mechanism indicated by referencecharacters 2c and 2d. Secured to the pins 2b and cranks 2e are guards 2f for preventing the wheels from bruising the rows of celery as they pass between the rows of celery. rlhe tractor has rear wheels 3, and the axle Id has suitable flanges or hub portions 3a and 3a to which is secured a suitable Cowling 3b for preventing the wheels 3 from bruising the rows of celery. Secured by any suitable means such as bolts to the flanges 3a of the rear axle are angle brackets 4 to which are secured as by welding pipes 5 and 6. To the rear end of pipes 5 and 6 is a draw bar 'I having hooks -8 pivotally secured therearound, which hooks 8 have a hooked front portion which is adapted to hook beneath one of the rear transverse frame portions of the cutters to be hereinafter described for holding the cutters in elevated position when they are not in operation. These cutters to be hereinafter described are secured to a transverse draw bar I0 which isY welded or-otherwise secured to the front ends of the bars or pipes 5 and I. The center portion of this front draw bar I0 is secured to the portion I a of the tractor by any suitable means such as strap members S being secured to the bar I and to the tractor portion Ia.

As previously described, the draw bar I0 extends transversely of the tractor, and to which a plurality of cutter frames are adapted to have diherfront end secured by any suitable means, but in the drawings I have shown the draw bar I0 as having a plurality of cuffs II adjustably mounted thereon for confining the cutter frames in proper position. Loosely secured around the draw bar lil is a pair of semi-circular cuff members I2 and I3, and to each cuil member I3 ls welded a short pipe I4 in which is mounted a vertically disposed pipe I5 in a loose manner so as to permit oscillation of the pipe I5 within the pipe I 4. A clamp i5 surrounds the upper end of the pipe I 5 to limit downward movement of the front end of the frame.

Also secured to the cuil member I3 is a brace pipe I1 which is welded to cuff member I3 and extends downwardly and is secured by welding or otherwise to a short pipe member I 8 which likewise is loosely mounted on the pipe I5.

Each of the two frames are identical except they are opposite hand, and therefore, a description of one of the frames will equally apply to the other frame. The cutter frames in Figures 4 to '7 inclusive are shown and described in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 528,259, led March 27, 1944, and Serial No. 594,494, led May 18, 1945.

Each frame comprises an upper bar 20 and a lower bar 2| both Welded to the pipe I5. These are called the inner bars of the frame, and the frame also has outer bars 22 and 23, the upper outer bar 22 being secured as by welding to cross bars 24 and 25. The lower bar 23 is connected to cross bars 25 and 21. Secured between cross bar 25, and the forward portion of top bar 20 is a brace bar 29. Between the forward ends of the cuter bars 22 and 23, there is disposed, as by welding, a sloping bar 28 which has adjustably mounted in its lower forward end an adjustable nger 30 by means of a set screw 3|. On the exter-ior of the lower end of sloping bar 28, there is a cuir 32. A sheet metal cowling member 34 has the exterior edges thereof indicated by dotted lines 34, and is adapted to be secured in position by means of a plurality of screws 35. This cowling is omitted in all of the drawings except in Figure 4 where the top edge of the same is shown and is indicated by reference character 36.

Disposed between the upper bars 22 and the lower bars 23 is a plate member 4i) and also disposed between the upper barV 29 and the lower bar ZI is a plate member 4I. These plate members each have suitable notches 42 therein in which a bolt 43 is mounted which penetrates a hub 44 of a ground wheel 45.

Welded to the cross bar 25 and extending downwardly is a bar 50 whose lower end is weldedto a cross bar 5I, and in this bar 50 is a notch 52 in which a'bolt 53 is conned, this bolt being the bearing spindle of 'a suitable bearing 55 which has xedly secured thereto a disk colter 51.

Vertically disposed and secured to plate 40 by any suitable means such as by welding is a guide member'lo having slidably mounted therein arshank 6I of a cutting blade 62. This cutting blade 62 projects outwardly and rearwardly from the side of the frame for cutting celery stalks 459 'immediately below the junction point of the leaves thereon and sufficiently high as t'o cut a minimum of the ground roots of the 'celery so as `to minimize the stripping operation. The rows contour of the land.

bar 65, there is pivotally mounted one end of a link 61,'the lower end of linkV 6l being pivotally connected to alleg 6B which isrigidly connected to and forms apart of a lever 09 pivotally mounted as at 63 to the inner surface of a vertically disposedA post 'i 0 secured Ybetwee'nthe upper tbar 22 and thelower bar 23. YA similar post 'll is disposed vvbetween and secured to the upper and lower bars 20 and 2|. 'f 4Tothe inner surface of the transverse bar` 26|,- thereis-secured a quadrant 13 which projects forwardly in spaced relation Ato the top bar 22', and at its front lend is -bent inwardlyfand connected to the `bar-22, thusy providing av slot in whichthe lever 69 is adapted to have movement. This lever has pivoted onv the upper end thereof a suitable pawl |4for holding the-lever in ad# justed position. Y It is'thus seen that byA adjusting thelever S0 along the quadrant v13, the vertical position of the'cutter 62 can be easily adjusted while th machine is in operation.

Pivotally secured on bolts disposed in one of the upright bars 1 are links'80 and'8| These links 80 and 8| each have a plurality of holes 82 adapted to be penetrated Yby the bolts 8S. The other ends of the bars 80 and 0| have notches 33-therein which t over bolts 06' in the inner upright bar'll of the other cutter frame.

In operation, a plurality of thesecutters `are secured to the elongatedtransversely disposed draw bar I0 vsecuredto a tractor, and the frames are adjustedv relative to'each other 'as'to suit the width'of the middle being traversed by the frames. f The inger'30 is adjusted relative to the ground tocause it to -pickup` the green' leaves of celery which might be fallen partiallytoward the ground andfraise them upwardly, and direct them over the front edge ofthe sloping bar 28 and to the exterior of the cowlingn3|5 disposed on the exterior of the frame. nHowever, the nnger 30 is not adjusted close'enough to the ground to pick up the dead leaves which have'fallen downwardly onto the ground, and these are allowed to pass rearwardly and to besevered by the colter disk '1 before the celery. stalks are cut `by theblades 62. a' y By means of the individual ground wheel for each lframe'an'd the pivotal connection between theframes,` it is seen that due to the fact that the cuff members l2 and I3 are looselymounted on the pipe |I, that each frame can have indi'- vidual Avertical movement relative to the other Vframe without affecting in any manner the other celery at a predetermined depth below the top of the ground at all times and regardless of the v-lt is also to be notedV that the front cutting edge of each cutterextends upwardly along its shank, so as to cut undesirable leaves and other debris that may lodge against it,` vandalso that this frontvertical portion-of the shankwhichfis sharpened and merges into thei horizontally dis'- :posed cuttingedge yof the bladeisv sloped 'inthe 4saniezmanner as thenblade'gisolas tocausefthe shank and blade to shed any debris which might collectfthereon if itshould not' be cut by. the blade, as itwill slide off theend of .theblades due to .their slope rearwardly .as theyV progress outwardly. Y f

Releasably secured to the rear draw bar l and in spaced relation to each other are a pair of trailing carriages or conveyers designated broadlyby-reference characters A and B, saidcarriages or conveyers being identical in structure, except that one is opposite vhand yto the'other, vanda description of one willlrepresent a description of Ithe other as the structure is-identical except for lits being opposite hand Each of theV carriages or conveyers A and. B comprises an elongated Aframework madeup of side plates or boards |00 and |0| with a top plate or board |02 and with suitable'crosspieces |03 and diagonal braces |04, and for a goodly portion of the length of this frame strap iron members I 05 and |00 extend for guiding an endless belt |01; The endless belt is mounted at each end of the framework `on rollers |08 and |09 xedly disposed on shafts ||0'and respectively. To the front end of side boards |00 and |0|, respectively there are secured plates ||2 and ||3 onA which angle'brackets'lht and ||5 are mounted which are slotted as at ||0 and respectively, and penetrating these slots are bolts I8 and H0, respectively, Which'penetrate bearings |20 and |2| respectively for the shaftl |0.` U 1 Disposed between the free ends of the plates 2 and ||3 are the bolts |25 .which'have spacer sleeves |26 disposed between lthe approximate surface ofthe plates |2.and H3, and the lower edge of each one of the plates ||2 and H3 has-a notch |21 which is adapted to hook yover the draw bar i forpulling the carriages over the celery field. This type of connection allows quick disconnection of the carriages from the draw bar-'l Yat the end of a row when it is desired to turn the tractor into another set ofV rows and to pull the carriages by hand around and connect them onto the rear draw bar 'l of the tractory VThe rearend of the framework has secured thereto brackets|28 and .l 29 to which are secured bearings |30 and |3| for receiving theshaft of theroller'llxv A plurality of brackets |312'larefse'cured to the exterior' surfaces ofthe side boardsy llfan'd |0| for rotatably supportinga vplurality of rollers |33 which rollers are adapted to support tht-:flower portion of the endless belt |01 on itsforward travel to theY front portion of `the carriage.v Disposed'beneath each ofthe frames A and B is 'a transverse axle |35 having wheels |30 and |3l on its ends. and it will be noted that thecarriages are mounted, knot 'in the middle o'feachf'of -'the axles, but nearer the'wheels |31 than the vwheels |36 so as to cause the carriages to be disposed at the proper position relative to the rowsv of celery and so that these carriages will not be above a rowof celery thus interfering with the strippers in the picking of -the bunchesY of celery for stripping and depositing onto the end-less belt. This arrangement also permits one to walk be;- tween the proximate wheels of the two carriages. .The longer portion oi each of-theseaxles has a brace-|38 welded theretdand suitablyAV secured to the adjacent side wall of the carriage frame. '.5

Mounted on vthe exteriorusurfaces of thev side iwalls |00 and lvl'of the carriage is a plurality o f Auprights |40, UH, A423,v andfl43. AThese have secured on. the-.upper ends' thereof-1 angle irons I 44 .and .|45 and spanning .the distance-between Secured to the bars |42 and |43 and also to a bar |48 is a guide bar |49 which has its front end outturned as at |49a for guiding the celery stalks through the apparatus, the butts of the celery stalks being adapted to be placed on the belt |511 and an operator arranges the celery bunches so their butts will be against the guide bar |49.

Mounted on the transverse bars |45 and |41 is a suitable prime mover such as a gasoline engine |55 which has a pulley |5| 'secured on the projecting end of its drive shaft |52 and mounted on this pulley is a belt |53 which is also disposed on a pulley |54 mounted on a transverse shaft |55 secured in suitable bearings, not shown, suitably aiiixed to the lower portion of the carriage framework. This shaft |55 on its other end has a sprocket wheel |51 secured thereon on which a sprocket chain |58 is mounted, which sprocket chain is also disposed on an enlarged sprocket wheel |59 xed on a shaft IBI) which is mounted in suitable bearings, not shown, disposed on the lower portion of the carriage framework. This shaft |60 projects laterally below the carriage framework, and has a sprocket wheel |62 xed thereon on which a sprocket chain |63 is mounted which is also disposed on a sprocket wheel |5fl xed on the shaft on which roller |93 is fixedly mounted.

The shaft |55 has also secured thereon a pulley |65 on which a belt |65 is mounted which is crossed to give the proper direction of rotation to the cutter or saw presently to be described, and this belt |66 is mounted on a pulley |51 disposed on a shaft |68 mounted in bearings |69 and |10 mounted on the top portion of angle irons M4 and` On one end of the shaft |68 is disposed a saw or rotary'cutter |1| for cutting the tops oi of the celery plants as they are directed through the apparatus. A suitable guard for the saw or cutter |1| is indicated by dotted lines |12.

Secured beneath the lower edge of the carriage frame by any suitable means such as bolts |15, are bars |16 and 11 which support a pair of platforms |18 and |19 on which eld boxes can be placed for packing the celery stalks thereinto after they have passed by the cutter |1| and have reached a point where they can be reached by operators walking slowly along the ground adjacent the carriages or conveyers for picking up invention, and although specic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being dened in the claims.

I claim:

l. Celery harvesting apparatus comprising a tractor having front and rear transversely disposed draw bars thereon, a plurality of wheeled frames secured to the front draw bar and having a blade projecting laterally from each side of each frame for cutting adjacent rows of celery, a pair of elongated carriages releasably secured to the rear draw bar and trailing behind the tractor in spaced relation to each other, each carriage -having an endless belt thereon for conveying stalks of cut celery which are deposited in side by side relation thereon, means for guiding the stalks of celery through the apparatus, a cutter disposed on each carriage for cutting ,the tops from thestalks of celery 4as they move rearwardly, a plurality of platforms, securedon the carriage rearwardly of the cutter for supporting boxes into which the celery stalks are adapted to be placed after they have passed by the cutter to have their tops severed therefrom.

2. A celery harvester comprising a tractor, a pair of longitudinally disposed bars secured to the tractor and disposed beneath the rear axle thereof, a transversely disposed front draw bar secured to the front end of the pair of bars and to the tractor, a rear draw bar disposed transversely and behind the tractor and secured to the rear end of said pair of bars, aplurality of means carried by the front draw bar for cutting a plurality of rows of celery, a pair of elongated wheeled frames secured in spaced relation to each other to the rear draw bar, each frame having an endless belt thereon, a prime mover mounted on each elongated frame and being connected to the endless belt for driving the same to propel stalks of celery laid thereon rearwardly of the elongated wheeled frames, a rotary cutter disposed on each of the elongated frames and driven by the prime mover thereon for cutting the tops of celery bunches as they move rearwardly on the endless belt.

3. A celery harvesting apparatus comprising a prime mover provided with a pair of -spaced rear wheels, each spaced apart from each other so that each wheel will travel between two ad jacent rows of celery, a front transversely disposed draw bar mounted on the prime mover and disposed in front of the said wheels,` a rear transversely draw bar secured to the prime'mover and disposed tothe rear of said wheels, the front draw bar -having secured thereto on both vertical and horizontal pivots the lfront `end of a plurality of wheeled frames, each frame being disposed between two rows of celery, each frame having projecting from each side thereof a cutting blade for cutting the adjacent rows of celery, a pair of elongated wheeled frames having their front ends secured to the tractor and having a conveyor disposed thereon for conveying the stalks of celery, deposited transversely and in side-by-side relation thereon, rearwardly of the elongated wheeled frames, means on the elongated wheeled frames for guiding thebutt portions of the celery stalks, a rotary cutter on the elongated wheeled frames adapted to sever the top portions of the celery stalks as they pass rearwardlyon the conveyor, and a plurality of platforms carried by the elongated Awheeled frames onto which eld boxes can be placed for packing the` stalks of celery therein after their tops have been severed therefrom.

4. Celery harvesting apparatus comprising a tractor having a front and rear wheel, and having a rear axle housing, a pair of pipes secured to the lower portion of the axle housing adjacent the rear wheels and projecting forwardly and rearwardly of the tractor, a transversely disposed front draw bar disposed on the front end of said pipes and a transversely disposed rear draw bar disposed on the rear ends of saidy pipes, a plurality of wheeled cutter frames adapted to be disposed between two rows of celery, there being one frame between each two rows of celery, means on the front draw bar for pivotally securing the front ends of the frames on both vertical and horizontal pivots for,allowingV universal swinging movement kof Ythe cutter frames relative to thefront ,draw bar, means on the rear draw bar for engaging 4the rear ends ofthe frames and holding'th'em in elevated position for transportation purposes, each Aof the cutter frames having a laterally and rearwardly projecting blade extending from opposed sides thereof for cutting adjacent rows of celery, the cutter frames having their sides in close proximity to the rows of celery and whereby the rows of celery will be pushed away. from the frames onto their sides as they are cut by the laterally projecting blades.

5. A structure according to claim 4 in which a plurality of wheeled carriages are disposed behind the rear draw bar and having two ground wheels disposed so as to travel in the path of the cutter frames, each of the carriages having an endless conveyor thereon for conveying stalks of cut celery deposited thereon rearwardly of the carriages', means for securing the front end of the carriages to the rear draw bar, each ofy the carriages having thereon a vertically-rising guide bar disposed at one side of the conveyor for guiding the butt ends of the stalks of celery rearwardly as they travel along with the conveyor, a rotary cutter disposed on the other side of each conveyor remote from the guide bar for severing the tops of celery as they are conveyed rearwardly, each carriage having disposed rearwardly of the cutter one or more platforms onto which the eld boxes can be deposited for packing the cut celery stalks therein as they emerge from the rotary cutter.

THOMAS J. BELL. 

